Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
HS-PS1-1 Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the
patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
Further explanation: Examples of properties that could be predicted from patterns could include reactivity of
metals, types of bonds formed, numbers of bonds formed, and reactions with oxygen. Examples include the
properties and bonding of water and the rusting of metals as found in guardrails, ship parts, etc. Consider the
metal compounds found in fireworks.
Developing and Using Models, structure and properties of matter, types of interactions, patterns
HS-PS1-2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on
the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of
chemical properties.
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
Physical Science (PS)
MS-PS1-6 Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or
absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on design, controlling the transfer of energy to the environment, and
modification of a device using factors such as type and concentration of a substance. Examples of designs
could involve chemical reactions such as dissolving ammonium chloride or calcium chloride for road treatments
in Maine winters.
Constructing explanations and designing solutions; chemical reactions; developing possible solutions;
optimizing the design solution; structure and function
MS-PS1-5 Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a
chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the law of conservation of matter and on physical models or drawings,
including digital forms that represent atoms.
Developing and using models; chemical reactions; energy and matter
molecules or inert atoms. Examples of pure substances could include water, carbon dioxide, and helium.
Developing and using models; structure and properties of matter; definitions of energy; cause and effect
HS-PS1-6 Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would
produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.
ple and on refining designs of
HS-PS1-5 Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of
changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction
occurs.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on student reasoning that focuses on the number and energy of collisions
between molecules. Examples could include the varied rates of oxidation of metals in winter vs in summer or
the rate of dissolution of calcium shells in the ocean due to an increase in carbon dioxide an increase in
temperature from climate change.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Chemical Reactions, patterns
HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances
at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on understanding the strengths of forces between particles, not on naming
specific intermolecular forces (such as dipole-dipole). Examples of particles could include ions, atoms,
molecules, and networked materials (such as graphite). Examples of bulk properties of substances could
include the melting point and boiling point, vapor pressure, and surface tension. Examples could consider why
we salt roads in the winter, differences in melting points of water vs saltwater, the production of maple syrup or
the strength of Maine minerals.
Planning and Carrying out Investigations, structure and properties of matter, types of interactions, patterns
HS-PS1-4 Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical
reaction system depends on the changes in total bond energy.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the idea that a chemical reaction is a system that affects the energy
change. Examples of models could include molecular-level drawings and diagrams of reactions, graphs
showing the relative energies of reactants and products, and representations showing energy is conserved.
Developing and Using Models, structure and properties of matter, Energy and Matter
Further explanation: Examples of chemical reactions could include the reaction of sodium and chlorine, carbon
and oxygen, or carbon and hydrogen. Examples could include ocean salt formation, combustion (as found in
the burning of fuels in Maine homes, cars and the trucking industry) or the detection of carbon monoxide in a
home (complete vs incomplete combustion).
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, structure and properties of matter, chemical reaction,
patterns
power plant and Fukushima in Japan.
Developing and engineering practices, Nuclear Processes, patterns, cause and effect, scale, proportion, and
quantity
chemical reaction systems, including descriptions of the connection between changes made at the macroscopic
level and what happens at the molecular level. Examples of designs could include different ways to increase
product formation including adding reactants or removing products. Other examples to consider include the
Kraft paper making process, soap making or rock candy formation.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, structure and properties of matter, Chemical Reactions,
Types of Interactions,
Optimizing Design Solution patterns,
cause and effect, scale, proportion, and quantity
HS-PS1-7 Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are
conserved during a chemical reaction.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on using mathematical ideas to communicate the proportional relationships
between masses of atoms in the reactants and the products, and the translation of these relationships to the
macroscopic scale using the mole as the conversion from the atomic to the macroscopic scale. Emphasis is on
solving techniques. Examples could include the proportion of ingredients combined in baked goods or the
combustion of fuels.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Chemical Reactions, Energy and Matter
HS-PS1-8 Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and
the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on simple qualitative models, such as pictures or diagrams and on the scale
of energy released in nuclear processes relative to other kinds of transformations. Examples could include
HS-PS2-3 Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes
the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.
Further explanation: Examples of evaluation and refinement could include determining the success of a device
at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it. Examples of a device could include
HS-PS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system
of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the quantitative conservation of momentum in interactions and the
qualitative meaning of this principle. Examples could include jumping off a boat or canoe and the total momenta
of all the various pieces exploding from fireworks.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Forces and Motion, Systems and System Models
Physical Science (PS)
PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
Performance
HS-PS2-1
Expectations
mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
Further explanation: Examples of data could include tables or graphs of position or velocity as a function of time
for objects subject to a net unbalanced force, such as a falling object, an object rolling down a ramp, or moving
object being pulled by a constant force. Examples could include the acceleration of a snowmobile in different
gears (same mass with different forces creating different accelerations) or the comparison of gas mileage
between a truck vs a truck hauling a boat (same acceleration with different masses).
Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Types of Interactions, Forces and Motion, Cause and Effect
Strand
Standard
MS-PS2-5 Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that
fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
Further explanation: Examples of this phenomenon could include the interactions of magnets, electricallycharged strips of tape, electrically-charged pith balls, and maglev trains. Examples of investigations could
include first-hand experiences or simulations.
Plan and carry out investigations; types of interactions; cause and effect;
Engaging in argument from evidence; types of interactions; system and system models;
HS-PS2-6 Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is
important in the functioning of designed materials.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the attractive and repulsive forces that determine the functioning of the
material. Examples could include why electrically conductive materials are often made of metal, flexible but
durable materials are made up of long chained molecules, and pharmaceuticals are designed to interact with
specific receptors. Examples could also include composite material substitutes for wood and the structure of
solar cells along with how they work.
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Structure and Property of Matter, Types of Interactions,
Structure and Function
HS-PS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a
magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
Further explanation: Examples could include wind turbines or generators along with any DC motorized toy.
Planning and Carrying out an Investigation, Types of Interactions, Definitions of Energy, Cause and Effect
HS-PS2-4
describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on both quantitative and conceptual descriptions of gravitational and electrical
fields.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Types of Interactions, Patterns
a football helmet or a parachute. Examples could also include the barriers on the sides of NASCAR tracks,
truck safety hills on the sides of highways, bike helmets or car bumpers.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, structure and properties of matter, Forces and Motion,
Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, Optimizing the Design Solution, types of interactions, Cause
and Effects
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
HS-PS3-1 Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a
system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the
system are known.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on explaining the meaning of mathematical expressions used in the model.
Examples could include wind turbines, hydroelectric or tidal power. Further examples could be found in
FunTown USA roller coasters or any sport (e.g. why a hockey puck changes motion, a baseball being hit, etc.).
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Definitions of Energy, Conservation of Energy and Energy
Transfer, Systems and System Models
HS-PS3-2 Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted
for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles (objects) and energy associated
with the relative position of particles (objects).
Further explanation: Examples of phenomena at the macroscopic scale could include the conversion of kinetic
energy to thermal energy, the energy stored due to position of an object above the earth, and the energy stored
between two electrically-charged plates. Examples of models could include diagrams, drawings, descriptions,
and computer simulations.
Developing and Using Models, Definitions of Energy, Energy and Matter
HS-PS3-3 Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of
energy into another form of energy.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on both qualitative and quantitative evaluations of devices. Examples of
devices could include Rube Goldberg devices, wind turbines, solar cells, solar ovens, and generators.
Examples of constraints could include use of renewable energy forms and efficiency. Consider the Wind Blade
Challenge or use of a solar oven when camping.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Definitions of Energy, Defining and Delimiting Engineering
Problems, Energy and Matter
HS-PS3-4 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy
when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more
uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).
PS3: Energy
Physical Science (PS)
Engaging in argument from evidence; conservation of energy and energy transfer; energy and matter
1-PS4-2 Make observations to construct an
evidence-based account that objects can
Physical Science (PS)
PS4: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
Childhood
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Performance
1-PS4-1 Plan and conduct investigations to
Expectations
provide evidence that vibrating materials
can make sound and that sound can make
materials vibrate.
Further explanation: Examples of vibrating
materials that make sound could include tuning
forks and plucking a stretched string.
Examples of how sound can make matter
vibrate could include holding a piece of paper
near a speaker making sound and holding an
object near a vibrating tuning fork.
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
Wave Properties, Cause and Effect
Strand
Standard
Grade 2
HS-PS3-5 Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electrical or magnetic fields to
illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.
Further explanation: Examples of models could include drawings, diagrams, and texts, such as drawings of
what happens when two charges of opposite polarity are near each other.
Developing and Using Models, Relationship between Energy and Forces, Cause and Effect
Further explanation: Emphasis is on analyzing data from student investigations and using mathematical
thinking to describe the energy changes both quantitatively and conceptually. Examples of investigations could
include mixing liquids at different initial temperatures or adding objects at different temperatures to water. Other
examples can be found in heat pumps for radiant heat systems, insulation (to prevent heat transfer) or the use
of hot rocks to warm a tent when camping.
Planning and Carrying out an Investigation, Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer, Energy in Chemical
Processes, Systems and System Models
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
HS-ESS1-4 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects
HS-ESS1-3 Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the way nucleosynthesis, and therefore the different elements created,
varies as a function of the mass of a star and the stage of its lifetime.
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, The Universe and its Stars, Energy and Matter
HS-ESS1-2 Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light
spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the astronomical evidence of the red shift of light from galaxies as an
indication that the universe is currently expanding, the cosmic microwave background as the remnant radiation
from the Big Bang, and the observed composition of ordinary matter of the universe, primarily found in stars
and interstellar gases (from the spectra of electromagnetic radiation from stars), which matches that predicted
by the Big Bang theory (3/4 hydrogen and 1/4 helium).
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, The Universe and its Stars, Electromagnetic Radiation,
Energy and Matter
1- year sunspot cycle, and non-cyclic variations over centuries.
Developing and Using Models, The Universe and its Stars, Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life,
Scale, Proportion and Quantity
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the energy transfer mechanisms that allow energy from nuclear fusion in
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
HS-ESS1-1 Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of
Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)
ocean basins, the evolution or extinction of particular living organisms, or significant volcanic eruptions.
Constructing explanations and designing solutions; the history of planet earth; scale, proportion, and quantity
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
Kindergarten
K-ESS2-1 Use and share
observations of local weather
conditions to describe patterns over
time.
Childhood
Grade 1
Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)
Grade 2
2-ESS2-1 Compare multiple solutions
designed to slow or prevent wind or
water from changing the shape of the
land.
cratering record of planetary surfaces.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, The History of Planet Earth, Stability and Change
HS-ESS1-6 Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other
planetary surfaces to
Further explanation: Emphasis is on using available evidence within the solar system to reconstruct the early
history of Earth, which formed along with the rest of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Examples of
evidence include the absolute ages of ancient materials (obtained by radiometric dating of meteorites, moon
HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and
the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples
include evidence of the ages oceanic crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate
spreading) and the ages of North American continental crust increasing with distance away from a central
ancient core (a result of past plate interactions). Examples could also be found from looking at differences
between coastal Maine and interior Maine rock types and their ages as evidence to explain the formation of
land structures and plate boundaries that cause them.
Engaging in Argument from Evidence, The History of Planet Earth, Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System
Interactions, Nuclear Processes, Patterns
in the solar system.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on Newtonian gravitational laws governing orbital motions, which apply to
human-made satellites as well as planets and moons.
Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking, Earth and the Solar System, Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
related to erosion and water runoff issues, river damming, or c
HS-ESS2-2
feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
Further explanation: Examples should include climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse
gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight
ing the amount of ice.
Examples could also be taken from other system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation
causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge,
decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; and how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in
Developing and Using Models, Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions, Earth Materials and
Systems, Stability and Change
HS-ESS2-1
ent
spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on how the appearance of land features (such as mountains, valleys, and
plateaus) and sea floor features (such as trenches, ridges, and seamounts) are a result of both constructive
forces (such as volcanism, tectonic uplift, and orogeny) and destructive mechanisms (such as weathering,
mass wasting, and coastal erosion). An example could be to utilize Maine Geologic maps, including tectonic
maps, as
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)
Further explanation: Emphasis is on how patterns vary by latitude, altitude, and geographic land distribution.
Emphasis of atmospheric circulation is on the sunlight-driven latitudinal banding, the Coriolis effect, and
resulting prevailing winds; emphasis of ocean circulation is on the transfer of heat by the global ocean
convection cycle, which is constrained by the Coriolis effect and the outlines of continents. Examples of models
can be diagrams, maps and globes, or digital representations.
Developing and using models,
systems
and system models
HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth
materials and surface processes.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid
materials to provide evidence for the connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions
commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and
deposition using a stream table, erosion using variations in soil moisture content, and frost wedging by the
expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and
recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water
lowers the melting temperature of most solids). Draw connections to Maine phenomena such as ice jams, frost
heaves and potholes.
HS-ESS2-4 Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Ear
systems result in changes in climate.
Further explanation: Examples of the causes of climate change differ by timescale, over 1-10 years; large
volcanic eruptions, ocean circulation; 10s to 100s of years: changes in human activity, ocean circulation, solar
output; 10s a-100s
of millions of years: long-term changes in atmospheric composition. Consider the climatic impacts of the Gulf
stream and the Labrador currents on the Gulf of Maine, e.g. water temperature changes and fishing industry
disruptions.
Developing and Using Models, Earth and the Solar System, Earth Materials and Systems, Weather and
Climate, Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
-pressure laboratory experiments.
Developing and Using Models, Earth Materials and Systems, Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System
Interactions, Wave Properties, Energy and Matter
HS-ESS2-3
thermal convection.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by
density, and a three-dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate
tectonics. Examples of evidence include maps of
-dimensional structure obtained from seismic
Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Earth Materials and Systems, Stability and Change
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
Structure and
Kindergarten
K-ESS3-1 Use a model to represent the
relationship between the needs of
different plants or animals (including
humans) and the places they live.
Further explanation: Examples of
relationships could include that deer eat
buds and leaves and therefore usually live
in forested areas and that grasses need
sunlight so they often grow in meadows.
ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
Childhood
Grade 1
Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)
Grade 2
include how photosynthetic life altered the atmosphere through the production of
oxygen, which in turn increased weathering rates and allowed for the evolution of animal life; how microbial life
on land increased the formation of soil, which in turn allowed for the evolution of land plants; and how the
evolution of corals created reefs that altered patterns of erosion and deposition along coastlines and provided
habitats for the evolution of new life forms.
Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Weather and Climate, Biogeology, Stability and Change
HS-ESS2-7
systems and life on Earth.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the dynamic causes, effects, and feedbacks between the biosphere and
HS-ESS2-6 Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere,
atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on modeling biogeochemical cycles that include the cycling of carbon through
the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and biosphere (including humans), providing the foundation for living organisms.
Developing and Using Models, Weather and Climate, Energy and Matter
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
Function
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
HS-ESS3-3 Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of
HS-ESS3-2 Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and
mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
Further explanation: Emphasis is on the conservation, recycling, and reuse of resources (such as minerals and
metals) where possible, and on minimizing impacts where it is not. Examples include developing best practices
for agricultural soil use (for farming, timber industry, blueberry and potato crops), mining (for coal, tar sands,
and oil shales), and pumping (for petroleum and natural gas). Science knowledge indicates what can happen in
natural systems not what should happen.
Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Natural Resources, Developing Possible Solutions
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources,
occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
Further explanation: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes,
and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil
fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such
as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations
or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and
the types of crops and livestock that can be raised. Other examples include the impacts of climate change on
.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Natural Resources, Natural Hazards, Cause and Effect
ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)
Further explanation: Examples of factors include human activities (such as fossil fuel combustion, cement
production, and agricultural activity) and natural processes (such as changes in incoming solar radiation or
volcanic activity). Examples of evidence can include tables, graphs, and maps of global and regional
temperatures, atmospheric levels of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the rates of human
activities. Emphasis is on the major role that human activities play in causing the rise in global temperatures.
Asking questions and defining problems, global climate change, stability and change
HS-ESS3-6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and
how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
Further explanation: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere,
cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how
an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an
increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations. Use and
interpret graphs and data of carbon dioxide levels in the Gulf of Maine for oysters and sea scallops. Consider
the impacts of ocean acidification on shellfish.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Weather and Climate, Global Climate Change, Systems and
System Models
HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidencebased forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to
Earth systems.
Further explanation: Examples of evidence, for both data and climate model outputs, are for climate changes
(such as precipitation and temperature) and their associated impacts (such as on sea level, glacial ice volumes,
or atmosphere and ocean composition).
Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Global Climate Change, Stability and Change
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on
natural systems.
Further explanation: Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types
of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as
for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could
range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering
design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).
Other examples include the use of propane-powered buses in Acadia (evaluate pros and cons).
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Developing Possible Solutions, Stability and Change
natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
Further explanation: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of
resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new
technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of
conservation, and urban planning. Consider the effects of urban sprawl and the loss of farmland.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Human Impacts on Earth Systems, Stability and Change
Performance
Expectations
Strand
Standard
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science (ETS)
HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more
Adolescence
Grades 9-Diploma
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and
constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
Further explanation: Examples of challenges include local and global climate change issues, biodiversity loss or
United Nations sustainable development goals.
Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed
object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
Further explanation: Developing the proper test to verify which solutions meet and which excel when applied
against the constraints. That test is then applied to a prototype or model to allow faults to be identified and then
corrected, frequently the combination of two or more solutions can produce a better solution and then retest it
to see if it is the best solution. Examples could include materials science testing (shear strength, compression
testing, tension testing, etc.), weather testing (temperature, rain, snow, wind, sun exposure), wind tunnel, failure
or destructive testing, mathematical models, etc.
Developing and using models, developing possible solutions, optimizing design solution
comparable, and accessible.
Engaging in argument from evidence, developing possible solutions
MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design
solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better
meet the criteria for success.
Further explanation: Testing and data is used to evaluate the solutions or part of the solutions that best solve
the given problem. The data needs to be assessed and then used to modify, combine, and deny solutions and
then retested to arrive at the best possible solution within the constraints of the problem. Examples could
include tables, graphs, matrices, check lists, spreadsheets, public polls, Venn diagrams, mathematical models,
etc.
Analyzing and interpreting data, developing possible solutions, optimizing design solution
HS-ETS1-4 Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex realworld problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems
relevant to the problem.
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Developing Possible Solutions, Systems and System Models
HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as
possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
Further explanation: Examples could include lobstering and exports of lobster, dry wells and water conservation
in Maine, or saltwater intrusion in coastal Maine wells.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Developing Possible Solutions
manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
Further explanation: Examples could include transportation issues, dams, green energy and wind power in
Maine.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Optimizing the Design Solution